LGBTQ Pride Month

Pride Month

This means it's now illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, rental and housing, and service practices...

Happening now...Emily Medalen is live to tell us what this means for members of the LGBTQ community.

Good morning, Emily.

Good morning Tim and Alysia - this was a milestone for the LGBTQ community - and it was celebrated all weekend in Bismarck for Pride Month. I spoke with one man who says he has experienced positive change over the past few years. Here's the story.

"It's something to celebrate," says Tyrell Eddy, LGBTQ Advocate.

And celebrate they did - this weekend, the colors of the rainbow flew high across Bismarck to represent equality for all.

"Pride here has increased a lot," says Eddy.

Tyrell Eddy came out as gay 4 years ago, and says that he and his boyfriend have felt a growing acceptance since then.

"It was conservative here. I mean, you couldn't go to a public place without getting ridiculed or something, but since the past 4 years, it's gotten a lot better. A lot more people are more accepting than what they have been," says Eddy.

He says events like celebrate pride weekend show members of the LGBTQ community that they don't stand alone.

"It's just awesome to have that sense of home and security when you go out places," says Eddy.

Eddy says he still experiences negativity at times, but has hope that tolerance and fairness will continue to spread.